Stravinsky-lite, these are two of the pieces among those schlepped
around the United States by the composer while on tour in the
1930s, avoiding controversy by leaving later and more difficult
works firmly hidden from the programmes. Delightful they both
are however, and deservedly successful in the record catalogues.

I’m not much of a one to go picking at scores and putting
on my metronome to find out what’s going on, but in this
case I felt some technological back-up was required having been
somewhat surprised by the sluggish pace with which Alexander
Janiczek sets off on his Apollon Musagète. While
it seems most recordings are in fact brisker than the quarter
note/crotchet = 54 which is marked in the score, it is rare indeed
to find someone actually under this marking. The tempo in this
recording moves about a bit, but is more like crotchet = 50 in
places, which may not seem like much, but does drag somewhat
when compared to more common performance practice. Stravinsky’s
own 1964 Columbia recording clocks in at 4:30 in this opening
movement, Janiczek 5:07. I’ve also been comparing this
new recording with a few old favourites, such as that in the
revised 1947 ‘Apollo’ version with Yuri
Bashmet, and Esa-Pekka Salonen with the Stockholm Chamber
Orchestra on Sony SK 46 667. Having become a bit more used to
the opening and connecting it to the performance as a whole,
Janiczek’s adherence to the metronome markings works out
well enough, generally making for a more relaxed and spacious
reading than we have become used to. This is true of the Pas
d’action third movement for instance, which Stravinsky
again takes at a brisker pace than his own metronome marking.
The rich acoustic of the Église Maronite Notre-Dame du
Liban in Paris does seem to lend itself to a more open approach,
reminding me of that Nimbus CD of the English Chamber Orchestra
with William Boughton, coupling Apollon Musagète with
Tippett’s Concerto for Double String Orchestra,
a recording which is somehow quite moreish, but goes too far
in the direction of acoustic swampiness. The acoustic in this
new recording is very airy, but the players are treated to fairly
close microphone placement and there is plenty of clarity in
the recording. The clean beauty of the playing is in fact what
rescues this performance from becoming too pedestrian, with gorgeous
depth to the massed string sound, decent level for the basses,
and some ravishing violin solos. I would have preferred a bit
more bite to the accents and dynamics, but this is a point of
taste rather than interpretation - everything is there, just
that other performances emphasise such details more. The muted Pas
de deux is very lovely; indeed almost too lovely, with the
melodic definition being somewhat lost in a Mantovani-esque curtain
of strings. We are rescued by a punchy Apothéose,
but this remains an Apollon Musagète for relaxing
with in an idealised steamy bath rather than having the imagination
set on fire with ancient Greeks running around in naked abandon.

On to Pulcinella, and references such as that of Robert
Craft on Naxos. Once again I was setting my metronome and
finding Alexander Janiczek slightly under the tempo indicated
in the opening movement and elsewhere, although closer to Stravinsky’s
own 1965 Columbia recording which is also fairly measured in
its pacing. Even with genuinely gorgeous playing, the lilting
beauty of the Serenata is robbed of its flow and becomes
rather too static to my ears, even while freed from not having
to cope with the breathing limitations of a vocal soloist. The
fast movements are taken in refined tumult however, and show
off the technical virtuosity of the COE in fine style, winds
and strings alike. The romp which is the Toccata has some
fine brass playing and closes with a delightfully witty trombone
parp. Sublime oboe playing is to be found in the Gavotta,
and compliments go to all for faultless phrasing and intonation
everywhere. The penultimate Menuetto is another heavily
indulgent tempo, more ♪=72 rather than the ♪=88 which
is marked, but all is forgiven with a Finale which ‘swingt
de pan uit’ as they say in Aalst-Waalre - with terrific
energy and sheer Hollywood schmaltz in places, revealing Stravinsky
as the showman he could be at times.

With a fine, demonstration quality SACD recording set in a richly
resonant but relatively non-intrusive acoustic, this is a disc
to revel in on a sonic level. The quality of the playing is also
superlative. Critical observations with regard to some aspects
of the interpretation mean this won’t be my own definitive
desert-island choice, but this disc has an overwhelming majority
of redeeming features which make it worth having if hi-fi definition
and world class musicianship is what you are looking for. Alexander
Janiczek is of course not only the orchestral director, but also
solo violinist in these performances, adding plenty of zip and
sparkle - the finishing touch to a luxuriant and fairly romantic
sounding feast of easy-going and youthfully buoyant Stravinsky.

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